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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. pitch — completely
  4. chest — of your body
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. tube — a container
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. stand — to bear
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. plane — a tool
  15. tube — the underground
  16. chest — a box
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. chest — of your body
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. toast — bread
  24. temple — side of the head

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com